Hanging Underneath A Bridge Is A Great Place To Put Wind Turbines

August 6, 2015

JOSÉ ANTONIO PEÑAS (SINC)

One problem with wind power is that it’s expensive to build and hard to find the space. Problem solved.

Viaducts—the technical term for arch-supported bridges—are already impressive swoops of engineering prowess. But this kind of infrastructure is about to get even more amazing, as giant spinning turbines are hung from the spans.

The Juncal Viaduct in the Canary Islands is serving as a model for the project, completed by researchers from Kingston University in London. The scientists’ calculations show that installing turbines between its tall legs would produce enough power for 450 to 500 homes, or around half a megawatt. “This kind of installation would avoid the emission of 140 tons of CO2 per year, an amount that represents the depuration effect of about 7,200 trees,” Oscar Soto, a researcher on the project, told the Spanish-language SINC.

ACT (The Adaptation to Climate Change Team) brings leading experts from around the world together with industry, community, and government decision-makers to explore the risks posed by top-of-mind climate change issues and to identify opportunities for sustainable adaptation.